If We Must Die

Because of McKay's mom teaching him respect and honor for himself, Mckay could not sleep on this issue that was not just impacting the Harlem community, but HIS community. He cared so much for women, and his community that he wrote a poem about his opinion on the young women giving a national perception of themselves in that community that made Harlem and the African American community look like they were uneducated, ignorant, and unattached from themselves. With the help of McKay and many other Harlem poets and activist, they changed the perception of the African American and Harlem one poem, song, and act at a time.

A large portion of this poem is comparing the difference between black and white. In the poem it practically says “what if all the black is now white, and all the white is now black?”, then goes on to give some examples like “Black Presidents,

Claude McKay is one of the important writers that were brought into the spotlight as a result of the Harlem Renaissance. Some other very important and undisputed personalities from the Harlem Renaissance include the likes of Countee Cullen, Langston Hughes, Jean Toomer and Zora Neale Hurston. Claude McKay was often regarded as an outcast for his strong opinions against what he thought were political and social injustices. McKay brought to the Renaissance Movement the need and demand for justice for people of every color, race, gender, and sexual orientation. After reading more about Claude McKay, it became obvious that McKay was a very vocal activist that made his views public through his writing. He criticized everything he thought was wrong, including Harlem itself. He spoke about both the beautiful aspects of Harlem and the not so wonderful aspects of the neighborhood that made him a very controversial figure in American literature. He took the side of the weak when nobody else did. Although McKay was often villainized for his outspokenness; he has gone down in history as an exceptional historical figure that said what no one wanted to say and stood up for the weak and defenseless. He is an underrated social reformer. McKay’s ideas became increasingly attractive to many African American youth. Change became a possibility and hope was sparked through Claude McKay’s writings.

The opening line, “If we must die—let it not be like hogs” (McKay 1), focuses on the contingency of black lives with the use of ‘if’. With McKay opening the poem with an existential question, one is left to wonder what kind of terrors awaited the black community. At this time race riots were a frequent occurrence, from Chicago to Charleston the lives of African-Americans were expendable. The idea that their lives were dispensable lends to McKay’s statement, “…let it not be like hogs/ Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot…”(2). Implying that their lives may be in the same realm of

During the time frame that this poem was written, America was facing racial tensions and division. Two notable riots occurred in the aftermath of police brutality. The first occurred in 1989 following the death of African

During “The Red Summer of 1919” the Black community experienced a rise in hate crimes and overall violence where they were the only ones targeted. According to Claude McKay in the poem "If We Must Die", African Americans were unable to protect themselves from the attacks that targeted them, but he emphasized the point that if they were to be killed, African Americans will die fighting honorably. He urges African Americans not to give up without a fight even though it seems like winning is an impossible mission.

“If We Must Die” is considered one of Claude McKay’s best works and reasonably so. It was perfectly timed and extremely relevant upon its release, was able to paint the of image of the black experience for all to envision, and to explore important themes relevant to the black experience. “If We Must Die” is not only a poem, it is a

This poem is a tribute to the well-known abolitionist Frederick Douglass, and gives a cause and effect analysis of the allowance of freedom to African Americans. For this reason, this poem can be interpreted very specifically to the African American struggle for civil rights and search for the true understanding of attaining freedom. The sense of exclusivity in this poem can come from lines such as, “…this man, this Douglass, this former slave, this Negro….” (1067) The words presented in this line such as “Negro” immediately strike the reader as specific to the African American race, and, therefore, transforming the entire poem into a poem directed toward a specific audience. The struggle for freedom post-emancipation was uniquely highlighted in this poem. African Americans still felt extremely subservient in relation to the white population, and Hayden clearly noted that feeling in this strong piece. The piece can solely be seen as a tribute that offers relatability for those African Americans of the time period. It can also be interpreted as a relatable piece for African Americans of any time as related to the historical essence of their lives. This piece may seem exclusive, but it can also offer much

Part of the first line of the poem also makes up the title of the poem "if we must die;" McKay uses the word we to create a sense of community with his intended audience, and to unite his audience. From a historical and biographical perspective we can see that his audience is the African American community in America even if the themes of the poem can apply to many oppressed groups throughout time. In the first line of the poem we are introduced to the concept of hogs, and when McKay brings up the death of hogs in line 2, claiming they died in an Inglorious spot it reveals His connotations behind the word choice of hog. Hogs are gluttonous lazy and complacent with their disgusting surroundings, and serve as a metaphor for those who do not resist subjugation and oppression. He uses this metaphor to claim that even in the face of death we must not be complacent with our

In the first verse, I convey to the readers that when hegemonic ideals, what people consider common sense on how to act or think towards a certain idea, become negative and violent, such as white supremacy, towards a race, it becomes extremely threatening and disturbing. Throughout United States’ history, the violence and struggles the African Americans experience are universally known. In the first verse of the poem, I put the point of view as an African American child. In the United States, there have been many forms of racial violence and hatred, especially with the United States being a strongly white

Claude McKay was a Jamaican poet who brought hopefulness to the oppressed during the Harlem Renaissance in his poem, “If We Must Die”. McKay experienced the hardships that colored people were going through because of their race and nationality. He believed that the people should fight for what they believe in, even if it seems like a hopeless cause. McKay uses the concept of dying with dignity to persuade his fellow African-Americans that are being oppressed to fight for what they believe in.

In the text it states “If we must die, O let us nobly die” (Mckay, 1919) This quote shows that he wanted to die like a human. Mckay also said he did not want to die like a hog, in the text it states “If we must die, let it not be like hogs” (Mckay, 1919) this quote shows how bad he was treated like animals. Mckay did not fight back with punches he fought back with the other slaves by protesting, going to courts etc.. In the text it states “Like men we'll face the murderous, cowardly pack,Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!”

“If we must die-let it be like hogs/Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot,/ While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs,/ making their mock at our accursed lot” (Line 1-4). Claude McKay born in the year 1889 and died 1948 wrote a poem called “If We Must Die”. “If We Must Die”, speaks about how minority groups are being harassed and treated like hogs due to racial discrimination. In current day America racial discrimination is ongoing, which leads to police brutality. In “Why Are So Many Black Americans Killed By Police?”, Carl Bialik, reveals racism (consciously or not) leads to police brutality of African Americans. Kia Makarechi in “What The Data Really Says About Police and Racial Bias”, shows evidence of African Americans receiving

The poem was really powerful in part because of the hostile era during the early and late 1940s where being near white women was forbidden and for which several African Americans especially in the South were lynched or brutally punished. This aspect grabbed the essential audience and created the perfect atmosphere to deliver his message through the poem, because all

I didn’t really like the poem because it just seemed full of anger, and resentment with too many negative ideas. I did like the part where he was nice and brought the lady an orange juice that put a positive spin onto a negative poem. He seemed to resent the white people where he stated in stanza one when he refers to the woman across the aisle as the white woman across the aisle. While I stated before he talked about how his people had been around longer, you could just sense the hostility he learned growing up. Overall he is respectful of all people but resents the white people. Because of how his ancestors were treated though he tolerates him white people, and respectfully just goes about his business keeping his thoughts, and opinions to himself. He is riding a train, and listening to the woman speak even though he knows the history of the land even before her grandparents arrived even though he seemed annoyed he just carried on about his own business while respectfully listening to the woman, but holding back his thoughts and opinions. The last stanzas’ thirty- three through thirty-seven, he wrote:” Another little piece of her country's history34 while I, as all Indians have done, 35 since this war began, made plans, 36 for what I would do and say the next time, 37 somebody from the enemy thought I was one of their own.